Portable isolation device and method

ABSTRACT

An isolation device has a movable frame and a barrier mounted on the frame. The barrier partially encloses a space to be occupied by a patient. The device also includes an air conducting unit having a primary duct attached to the barrier such that air can be conducted between the partially enclosed space and an outside location through the primary duct. Attached to the primary duct is a means for moving air between the partially enclosed space and the outside location. 
     The present invention also includes a method of isolating a patient that begins by providing an isolating device according to the present invention. Air is conducted between the partially enclosed space and the outside location through the primary duct using the means for moving air, and a patient is positioned in the partially enclosed space.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to an earlier filed U.S. provisionalpatent application, U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No.60/111,121, which was filed on Dec. 4, 1998, and is incorporated hereinby reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to devices and methods forcontrolling airborne contaminates. More specifically the presentinvention is an isolation device and method for isolating a human being.

2. Discussion of Related Art

In the prior art, there are devices and methods for isolating a humanbeing. In one such device, a patient isolation room has wallssurrounding a relatively smaller patient locus, with a continuous airflow loop including an air inlet and outlet relatively sized andoppositely arranged to encompass the patient locus on every side with ahorizontal, unidirectional, laminar air stream of uniform velocitythroughout its cross-section to maintain patient isolation from room airbeyond the locus. The loop conducts depurified air beyond the room forrecirculation and repurification.

The prior art devices do not provide a device or method of isolating ahuman being using an existing patient care area to provide protectionfrom infection. Furthermore, the prior art devices are difficult tosterilize.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide adevice and method for isolating at least part of a human being tocontrol the spread of infectious disease.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method forisolating at lease part of a human being to prevent the spread ofinfectious disease.

The foregoing objectives are realized by an isolation device having amovable frame and a barrier mounted on the frame. The barrier partiallyencloses a space to be occupied by a patient. The device also includesan air conducting unit having a primary duct attached to the barriersuch that air can be conducted between the partially enclosed space andan outside location through the primary duct. Attached to the primaryduct is a means for moving air between the partially enclosed space andthe outside location.

The present invention also includes a method of isolating a patient thatbegins by providing an isolating device according to the presentinvention. Air is conducted between the partially enclosed space and theoutside location through the primary duct using the means for movingair, and a patient is positioned in the partially enclosed space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be made to the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 1 with a portion of aduct and frame removed;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1 takenalong the line 3--3;

FIG. 4 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of a device accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows a control panel that can be used in a device according tothe present invention;

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of circuits used in an embodiment of adevice according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of a device accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 shows steps of a method according to the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 through 3 show an isolation device 10 according to the presentinvention. The isolation device 10 has a movable frame 13 and a barrier16 mounted on the frame 13 and partially enclosing a space 19 (hereinreferred to as the "partially enclosed space"). The barrier 16 may haveone or more substantially translucent flexible outer walls 22 and one ormore substantially translucent flexible inner walls 25. In a preferredembodiment of the isolation device 10, the flexible outer walls 22extend from the retainer pegs 28 a first distance X, and the flexibleinner walls 25 extend from the retainer pegs 28 a second distance Y, thedistance X being greater than the distance Y. In a preferred embodimentof the present invention, the distance X is 54 inches and the thicknessof the outer walls 22 is 0.02 inches, and the distance Y is 24 inchesand the thickness of the inner walls 25 is 0.04 inches. In thispreferred embodiment, the inner walls 25 are made of thicker material sothat they are not easily moved, and the outer walls 22 are made ofthinner material so that they are easily moved. In this fashion, ahealth care professional can move an outer wall 22 aside and reach underthe inner wall 25 to gain access to the patient in the partiallyenclosed space 19 while being protected by the inner wall 25 fromdisease carrying objects within the partially enclosed space 19.

A suitable material for the substantially translucent flexible walls 22,25 is polyvinyl chloride. In a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, either the inner walls 25 or the outer walls 22, or both, aremade from a polyvinyl chloride material having an anti-static component.The anti-static component prevents the inadvertent movement of an innerwall 25 by, for example, a health care professional moving an outer wall22 to gain access to the patient.

When the barrier 16 includes substantially translucent flexible walls22, 25, the frame 13 is preferably provided with a means for hanging theflexible walls 22, 25 from the frame 13. The means for hanging may be aseries of retainer pegs 28 for extending through corresponding wallholes 31 in the flexible walls 22, 25. In this fashion, the flexiblewalls 22, 25 are easily hung from the retainer pegs 28.

The barrier 16 also preferably has a rigid panel 34 that may be a sheetof aluminum. The rigid panel 34 serves to protect the patient fromfalling objects and may be used to mount lights for reading or examiningthe patient. The rigid panel 34 may be connected to the frame 13 via aspring loaded top lock 37 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) and safety catch 40that together permit the rigid panel 34 to be locked in the extendedposition as shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, or alternatively folded downagainst the primary duct 43. In a preferred embodiment of the invention,the rigid panel 34 forms one side of an overhanging duct 46 having adistal opening 49 covered with a lint trapping grill 52 for deliveringair to or receiving air from the partially enclosed space 19. Reading orexamination lights 55 may be attached to the overhanging duct 46,instead of or in addition to the rigid panel 34.

The isolation device 10 also has an air conducting unit 58 having aprimary duct 43 attached to the barrier 16 by, for example, theoverhanging duct 46 and secondary ducts 61 having grills 52 such thatair can be conducted between the partially enclosed space 19 and alocation outside the partially enclosed space (herein referred to as the"outside location") 64 through the primary duct 43. The air conductingunit 58 shown in FIG. 2 also has a means for moving air 67 between thepartially enclosed space 19 and the outside location 64. The means formoving air 67 may be a fan attached to the primary duct 43. In apreferred embodiment of the isolation device 10, the fan is of a typeused in explosive environments, such as model number 5C508 distributedby Granger Industrial Supplies located in Chicago, Ill.

As shown in FIG. 2, the isolation device 10 may include an ultra violet(sometimes referred to herein as "UV") light source 70 for providingultra violet light to the interior portion of the primary duct 43. Alsoshown in FIG. 2 is an air filter 73 in the primary duct 43. The airfilter 73 is preferably located between the grills 52 and the means formoving air 67 in order to capture disease carrying objects. A suitableair filter 73 is a high efficiency particulate air ("HEPA") filtercapable of capturing at least about 99.97% of 0.3 micron matter at 550cubic feet per minute, such as model 6B616 distributed by GrangerIndustrial Supplies located in Chicago, Ill. A preferred air filter 73is capable of capturing at least about 99.99% of 0.3 micron matter at750 cubic feet per minute, such as a Filtra 2000, part no. 5010005,manufactured by Filtra Inc. of Riverdale, N.J. When both the UV lightsource 70 and the air filter 73 are provided, it is preferred that theUV light source 70 be oriented such that UV light emitted from the UVlight source 70 is directed at the air filter 73.

In order to provide adequate protection from spreading infectiousdisease, the means for moving air 67 is preferably sized to move about600 cubic feet of air per minute. In addition, the barrier 16, the frame13 and the means for moving air 67 are sized to provide an air velocityof at least about 175 feet per minute when a portion of the barrier 16is removed to permit access to the patient by a health careprofessional. For example, in the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention described above, when approximately one-third of the outerwall 22 is moved aside, the velocity of the air is about 200 feet perminute moving into the partially enclosed space 19 at a location 76 nearan edge 79 of the inner wall 25 formerly occupied by the outer wall 22.It is believed such a velocity will prevent transmission of infectiousdisease from the patient to the health care professional.

It should be noted that the means for moving air 67 may be capable ofmoving the air from the partially enclosed space 19 to the outsidelocation 64 so that disease carrying objects emitted from the patientare captured by the air conducting unit 58. It is intended that when themeans for moving air 67 moves air from the partially enclosed space 19to the outside location 64, the air is treated to prevent the spread ofdisease to individuals occupying the outside location 64, oralternatively, the outside location 64 is not occupied by individualssusceptible to disease.

Alternatively, the means for moving air 67 may be capable of moving airfrom the outside location 64 to the partially enclosed space 19, andthrough a treatment system, such as the air filter 73 and UV lightsource 70 described above, in order to prevent disease carrying objectsfrom infecting the patient.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the frame 13 iscomprised of tubular members 81. One advantage of using tubular members81 in the frame 13 is that weight is minimized, and therefore, theisolation device 10 is more easily moved from one location to another.In one such embodiment of the present invention, a tubular member 81 isused to make the top portion 84 of the frame 13, and this tubular member81 has a plurality of tube holes 87 through the tubular member 81. Whensuch a tubular member 81 is provided, the primary duct 43 may beconnected to the tubular member 81 such that air can be conductedbetween the partially enclosed space 19 and the outside location 64through the tube holes 87, the tubular member 81 and the primary duct43. If enough tube holes 87 are provided in the tubular member 81,portions of the barrier 16 may be omitted because air emitted from thetube holes 87 provides protection against disease carrying objectsentering the partially enclosed space.

The isolation device 10 of the present invention may include at leastone wheel 90 or skid bar 93 (FIG. 4) mounted on the frame 13 forsupporting the frame 13 during movement of the isolation device 10.Preferably, the isolation device 10 has four wheels 90 that areselectively lockable.

To further accommodate movement of the isolation device 10, the presentinvention preferably has two control panels 96. The face plate of arepresentative control panel 96 is shown in FIG. 5, and FIG. 6 shows ageneral circuit diagram 97 showing how a representative control panel 96permits control of devices incorporated into the isolation device 10.The control panels 96 are mounted on the isolation device 10 such thatif one of the control panels 96 is placed close to a wall, the othercontrol panel 96 will not likely be obstructed by, for example, anadjoining wall. In this manner, the isolation device 10 may be moved toa particular location without access to the control panel 96 being anissue.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show another embodiment of the barrier 16 according to thepresent invention. In this embodiment, the barrier 16 includestranslucent plexiglass panels 99 arranged to define the partiallyenclosed space 19. An entrance 102 is provided in the plexiglass panels99 and substantially covered by translucent flexible strips 105 hangingfrom a portion of one of the panels 99. At least one edge of each strip105 overlaps an adjacent edge of another strip 105. The panels 99 may bemounted on a frame 13 having tubular members 81. Preferably, a primaryduct opening 108 is provided near the entrance 102.

FIG. 9 shows steps of a method according to the present invention. Themethod has the steps of providing a movable frame (step 200), providinga barrier (step 203) mounted on the frame and partially enclosing aspace, providing an air conducting unit (step 206) having a primary ductattached to the barrier such that air can be conducted between thepartially enclosed space and a location outside the partially enclosedspace through the primary duct, and providing a means for moving air(step 209) between the partially enclosed space and a location outsidethe partially enclosed space, the means for moving air being attached tothe primary duct. Then, air is conducted (step 212) between thepartially enclosed space and a location outside the partially enclosedspace through the primary duct using the means for moving air and apatient is positioned (step 215) in the partially enclosed space.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to one ormore particular embodiments, it will be understood that otherembodiments of the present invention may be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the present invention. Hence, the presentinvention is deemed limited only by the appended claims and thereasonable interpretation thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. An isolation device, comprising:a movable frame;a barrier mounted on the frame and partially enclosing a space, thebarrier includes a first outer wall and a second inner wall, and whereinthe first outer wall and the second inner wall are attached to theframe, the outer wall extending from the frame a first distance and theinner wall extending from the frame a second distance, the firstdistance being greater than the second distance; an air conducting unithaving a primary duct attached to the barrier such that air can beconducted between the partially enclosed space and a location outsidethe partially enclosed space through the primary duct, and furtherhaving a means for moving air between the partially enclosed space and alocation outside the partially enclosed space, the means for moving airbeing attached to the primary duct.
 2. The isolation device of claim 1,wherein the barrier includes substantially translucent flexible walls.3. The isolation device of claim 2, wherein the barrier and the meansfor moving air are sized to provide an air velocity of at least about175 feet per minute when approximately one-third of the outer wall isremoved, the air velocity being measured at a location near an edge ofthe second inner wall.
 4. The isolation device of claim 2, wherein thesubstantially translucent flexible walls include polyvinyl chloride. 5.The isolation device of claim 1, wherein the barrier includes a rigidpanel.
 6. The isolation device of claim 5, wherein the rigid panelincludes aluminum.
 7. The isolation device of claim 1 further comprisingan ultra violet light source for providing ultra violet light to airconducted through the primary duct.
 8. The isolation device of claim 1,wherein the frame is comprised of tubular members.
 9. The isolationdevice of claim 1 further comprising an air filter in the primary duct.10. The isolation device of claim 9, wherein the air filter is locatedbetween the partially enclosed space and the means for moving air. 11.The isolation device of claim 9, further comprising an ultraviolet lightsource for providing ultra violet light to the air filter.
 12. Theisolation device of claim 1, wherein the means for moving air is capableof moving air from the partially enclosed space to the location outsidethe partially enclosed space.
 13. The isolation device of claim 1,wherein the means for moving air is capable of moving air from thelocation outside the partially enclosed space to the partially enclosedspace.
 14. The isolation device of claim 1, further comprising at leastone wheel mounted on the frame for supporting the frame during movementof the isolation device.
 15. The isolation device of claim 1, whereinthe barrier includes plexiglass walls having an entrance therein, theentrance being substantially covered by overlapping flexible strips.